December 2, 2025
Dear editor;
With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us, I am certain I speak for Americans everywhere who, like me, are gratified by the current beautification and renovation of the White House. With millions of people facing sky-rocketing costs for necessities at the end of this month, troubling issues concerning the release of the Epstein files, election losses, wars with former sycophants and in the Ukraine, our president is taking time from his demanding schedule to personally oversee the building of his “Grand Ballroom”!
These distractions aside, he has managed to festoon the Oval Office in glittery gold—the likes of which would make an 18th-Century business agent for a Parisian house of ill-repute envious.
Speaking for myself, I would also like to express my gratitude to an otherwise lethargic U.S. Congress for showing possible signs of life by returning to the job they are constitutionally required to do, not the least of which is to check all the executive orders and actions elicited by the Executive Branch. The amazing amalgamation of incompetence comprised of Donald Trump nominees and appointed by a Republican, rubber-stamping Senate into cabinet positions is in desperate need of oversight, especially The Department of Defense, specifically Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Lacking any congressional oversight, Hegseth has been ordering the destruction and extra-judicial killing of so-called “narco-terrorists” in an undeclared war in the Caribbean waters near Venezuela. Hegseth frequently publicizes his high seas exploits in a manner considered inappropriate for an American service member, let alone the Secretary of Defense. Remember his words: “Maximum lethality, not tepid legality” spoken at his televised meeting with America’s top military leaders.
At this writing, it has been reported that among the 80-plus killings, two had survived the initial assault and were clinging to their boats’ wreckage, whereupon the order was given “Kill them all”. A second strike was ordered and nothing else remained. If this order came from Hegseth, he is guilty of a war crime and everyone involved is implicated; it is a black mark against our military and needs to be investigated along with the actual legality of these extra-judicial killings already committed.
I would be thankful if Congress would deal with this investigation and resume their oversight responsibilities.
Dave Hoehne, Aurora
P.S.: Congratulations to Wayne Johnson for his book!